Jeollanam-do Launches Detailed Implementation Plan for Total Allowable Catch System

For Six Coastal and Ten Offshore Fisheries Sectors
Applying Total Catch Performance from the Past Three Years
Expectations for Resource Recovery

Measurement scene of Chamhongeo TAC target species. Provided by Jeonnam Province

On July 28, Jeollanam-do announced that it has established and begun implementing detailed plans for the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) system for six coastal fishery organizations participating in the Fisheries Resource Protection Direct Payment Program, as well as for ten offshore fishery sectors subject to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries’ TAC regulations.

The coastal and offshore TAC system allows fishing only within the catch limits determined for each species based on resource assessments. This system is applied annually from July of each year to June 30 of the following year.

For 2025, 40 offshore fishing vessels and 141 coastal fishing vessels selected for the Fisheries Resource Protection Direct Payment Program can receive direct payments if they properly comply with the TAC system, submit catch certification reports, and fulfill fisheries resource protection obligations such as voluntary fishing moratoriums.

The TAC allocation for offshore fisheries is 29,839 tons, covering seven species: squid, skate, hairtail, yellow croaker, Spanish mackerel, pen shell, and fan shell. The TAC allocation for coastal fisheries is 16,943 tons, covering 15 species including shrimp, monkfish, and croaker.

The allocation criteria are based on the total catch performance over the past three years, the number of actual operating vessels, and weighted tonnage. After determining the allocation for each city and county, the local governments then assign the TAC quotas to individual vessels.

Jeollanam-do plans to operate the system flexibly by retaining a 10% reserve of the total TAC allocation, and making additional allocations depending on the entry of new vessels or the exhaustion rate of participating vessels.

Jeon Changwoo, Director of the Eco-friendly Fisheries Division of Jeollanam-do, emphasized, "Active cooperation and participation from fishers are essential for the successful establishment of the TAC system," and added, "We will continue to do our utmost to develop and support various policies to increase the income of many fishers."